Headlines for Friday, November 20, 2009

Three Wayne County high school students have been awarded $500 scholarships in the annual VFW Voice of Democracy contest. The winners are Joshua Hensley, a senior from Fairfield Community High School. He's the son of Rod and Lisa Weedon; Andrew Thomason, a sophomore at Wayne City High School and son of George and Jennifer Thomason; and Brittany Stephenson, a sophomore at Wayne City High School and daughter of Amy Seidel.

Two teams from Fairfield Community High School claimed first and second places in the annual Adventures in Learning Team Quest Competition.  21 teams competed in the annual event.  The first place team pictured left to right are Ali Curtner, Kayla Pennington, Hayden McDuffe, Lincoln Taylor and coach Tammy Austin.

The C.I.V.I.C.S. and Personal Development class at Fairfield Community High School is conducting a school-wide food drive, with all the items collected to be donated to the WADI Food Pantry.  The drop off point is set up outside the Unit Office.  Donations will be accepted through next Wednesday, Nov. 25.

Morgan Land and Debbie Bunting were the guest speakers at Thursday's meeting of the Fairfield Rotary Club.  Morgan is a Primary Therapist with the Senior Life Solutions program at Fairfield Memorial Hospital.  Debbie is Unit Clerk, Transportation Coordinator and Rehab Aide with the Senior Life program.  Services through the Senior Life program include intensive outpatient care for those experiencing depression, grief, anxiety, isolation or low self-esteem. Rotarian Dave Land arranged for Thursday's program. Pictured left to right are Morgan Land, Debbie Bunting and Dave Land.

The Edwards County FCCLA Chapter is collecting a Thanksgiving offering next Tuesday, November 24, for Ben Jostes.  Ben was seriously injured in a traffic accident west of Grayville last month and will be unable to work for several months.  Volunteers will be collecting door to door and on the Albion square to help the Jostes family.



 Headlines for Thursday, November 19, 2009

The Fairfield Community High School Board was informed Wednesday night that the district's two final state aid payments for the current school year could be withdrawn if the state fails to receive money from the Federal Stimulus Program.  The loss could amount to as much as $224,000.

The FCHS Board approved the tax levy for 2009 taxes payable in 2010. This year's levy amounts to $1,227,680.  The figure represents an increase of about 9.25% over last year's levy. A "truth in taxation" hearing will be necessary.

Two local attorneys have been appointed to represent one of two suspects in a high profile Franklin County double homicide.  Fairfield Attorney Matt Vaughn and Albion Atttorney Jerry Crisel have been appointed to represent 19-year-old Afton Ferris.  Ferris and co-defendant, 29-year-old Michael "Mexican Mike" Shallert are charged in connection with the shooting deaths of 32-year-old Terri Ann Seibeck and 28-year-old Kandis Rechelle Majors, both of West Frankfort.  A judge on Wednesday ruled that Ashton Ferris could face the death penalty if convicted for her role in the slayings.

The attorney representing the suspect in the brutal slaying of Michelle Cavaletto of Centralia has filed a motion to bar the death penalty in his case.  29-year-old Neil Barrall of Centralia faces two counts of first degree murder and one count of capital murder in connection with the killing.  Barrall's defense attorney, Matt Vaughn of Fairfield asserted in his motion that established law prohibits the execution of a mentally retarded person.  Barrall suffers from Asperger's Disorder and cannot stand trial without special provisions and a professional trained in dealing with persons diagnosed with the mental disorder.

This Friday, Nov. 20 is the deadline to pay Wayne County Real Estate Taxes. Certified letters to delinquent real estate taxpayers will go out on December 7th.  The last date to pay your taxes to keep your name out of the local newspaper as a deliquent taxpayer is December 18.


Headlines for Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Joe Bisch has been named Mayor of Grayville, replacing Henry S. Kijonka who resigned effective Tuesday morning.  Kijonka resigned barely half-way through his first term in office and moved to Mississippi.  Bisch (pictured left)  has served as Grayville Mayor from 1982-1987 and 1999-2007.  David Jordan, retired Grayville School Superintendent has been appointed as commissioner.  Bisch and Jordan were named during a specially called meeting of the Grayville City Council Tuesday afternoon.

21-year-old Catrina Murdock of Fairfield was arrested Tuesday on charges of failure to secure her son properly in a child seat and driving without a license. The arrest came after her 2-year-old son fell out of the back of a Dodge Durango at a local gas station.  The boy was still strapped in the child seat and suffered facial lacerations. Police took the victim to Fairfield Memorial Hospital for treatment.

State Police have relelased the names of the drivers involved in a fatal traffic crash Monday night on I-57 near Benton.  A northbound pickup truck driven by 37-year-old Richard Logsdon of Benton crossed the median and struck a car head-on driven by 66-year-old Janice Gielda of Prescott Valley, AZ.  Mrs. Gielda was fatally injured in the crash.  Logsdon was taken to the hospital in Benton.

Hunters head to the fields this week for the state's most popular hunting season as the 2009 Illinois Firearm Deer Season opens this Friday and runs through Sunday.  The seven day firearm season will conclude with a second hunt December 3 - 6.

The president of Southern Illinois University has picked a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee administrator to be the next chancellor of SIU's flagship Carbondale campus.  Glenn Poshard announced Tuesday that he will recommend Rita Cheng to succeed former trustee Samuel Goldman.  SIU trustees must still approve the choice.

Headlines for Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Carmi native, Drue Pearce has submitted her resignation as coordinator of the Alaskan Natural Gas Pipeline project.  President Obama asked for her resignation, which will become effective on January 3.  Pearce, is a graduate of the Carmi High School Class of 1968. She was nominated for the job by former President George W. Bush in 2006.

The solicitation for murder trial of suspected serial killer Bruce D. Mendenhall of Albion has been continued until January 11, 2010. The trial was halted as jury selection was underway Monday in Davidson County Criminal Court in Nashville, TN.

42-year-old Sidney B. Smith of Fairfield was arrested Monday on charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and unlawful delivery of alcohol to a minor.  Smith, a registered sex offender, (pictured at left) is accused of giving a 12-year-old Fairfield boy a beer at a neighbor's party. City Police say they are investigating the incident further.

Fairfield City Police are searching for a white Dodge Durango with temporary license plates in connection with a bizarre incident Monday afternoon at the Murphy Service Station near the Fairfield Super Wal-Mart.  Witnesses said that as the Durango pulled up to the station, the back passenger door flew open, and a toddler in a child seat fell out, cutting his head.  The driver told witnesses she was taking the child to the hospital for treatment, but police say they've found no evidence she sought medical attention for the child.

Fairfield attorney Matt Vaughn is Wayne County's new Public Defender.  He replaces David Williams who started as Wayne County State's Attorney on Monday. 

Fairhome Furniture is quitting business this Saturday.  Owners Leland and Reva Meeks had owned and operated the store since 1951.

The North Wayne Education Association earned $2,717 during its 19th annual scholarship auction this past Saturday at the Cisne High School gym. Since 1993, the organization has donated $32,000 to deserving Cisne High School students.

Headlines for Monday, November 16, 2009

Fairfield attorney Matt Vaughn is Wayne County's new Public Defender.  He replaces David M. Williams who accepted the position of Wayne County State's Attorney after the departure of Kevin Kakac. The appointment was announced today by the Chief Judge of the Second Judicial Circuit.

The former clerk for the Village of Wayne City has been sentenced to twelve weekends in the Wayne County jail after pleading guilty to a reduced charge in connection with the imbezzlement of more than $15,000  from the village. 28-year-old Heather Atwood (pictured left) had originally been indicted on felony charges of theft over $10,000 but less than $100,000 and official misconduct.  However, in a negotiated guilty plea entered last Tuesday, Nov. 10, Atwood entered a guilty plea to a misdemeanor theft charge and was placed on one year of conditional discharge and was ordered to spend 12 weekends in the Wayne County jail starting this past weekend. She was also ordered to pay restutiton in the case - which had been completed earlier, and was ordered to pay a fine. In return for the guilty plea in the misdemeanor case, the State dismissed the felony indictments against her.  Records show she embezzled more than $15,000 from the village of Wayne City.

The granddaughter of a Fairfield woman was critically injured in a single vehicle accident on the Bridgeport blacktop this morning,  16-year-old Brooke Wilborn, granddaughter of Dotty Wilborn of Fairfield has been transferred to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville from the hospital in Lawrenceville.  Her car apparently ran off the road and overturned several times, ejecting her through the back window of the vehicle.

36-year-old Dawn Harper and 7-year-old Josie Harper of Louisville were injured Sunday when their Jeep Wrangler collided with a combine at a rural intersection in Clay County.  Driver of the combine, 74-year-old Duane Poehler of Dieterich was not hurt.  Poehler was cited for failure to yield the right of way at a stop intersection.

The solicitation for murder trial of suspected serial killer Bruce D. Mendenhall of Albion gets underway today in Nashville, TN.  Mendenhall (pictured at left) is accused of trying to hire two fellow inmates to rub out two homicide detectives and three witnesses in his upcoming murder trial.

The union representing Illinois prison guards is opposed to the federal government's plan to use the nearly vacant Thomson prison in upstate Illinois to house Guantanamo Bay detainees.  While less than 100 of the inmates would be from Guantanamo, the remainder of the 1,600 cells would house federal prisoners.  If the federal government buys the prison, it could mean an additional 3,000 jobs for the region.

A workshop for Airtex employees who were laid off from November 14 last year until the present will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday at the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Fairfield.  Laid off workers must attend the briefing to complete the necessary paperwork to ensure eligibility for special benefits through the Trade and Globalization Adjustment Assistance Act.

Headlines for Sunday, November 15, 2009

Suspected serial killer Bruce D. Mendenhall of Albion goes on trial Monday on charges he tried to hire two fellow inmates to kill two detectives and three witnesses in his upcoming murder trial.  In police reports, Mendenhall is accused of offering to pay a fellow inmate $15,000 to kill Lori Young, her son, Richie Kiem and former Albion resident, David Powell.  For a $15,000 down payment with the final price to be determine later, Mendenhall is also accused of trying to hire another inmate to kill Nashville homicide detectives Pat Postiglione and Lee Freeman.  Jury selection starts Monday morning.

A disaster drill was conducted Saturday morning in Mount Carmel. The scenario involved a helicopter crashing into the parking lot of the new grade school. Sheriff Joe Keeling praised area first responders, fire departments ambulance crews and area police agencies for their response to the mock disaster.

In the past week, there have been 12 new deaths in Illinois attributed to the H1N1 or Swine Flu. The death toll in Illinois now stands at 48.  Since the epidemic began, there have been 1,371 people hospitalized with the illness.  There were 368 new hospitalizations last week.

A White House official says the Obama administration is considering buying the Thomson Prison in upstate Illinois to house Guantanamo detainees.  While there would be fewer than 100 of the detainees housed there, the rest of the 1,600 cell facility would be converted into a federal prison, generating as many as 3,000 jobs.

The Fairfield Community High School Varsity Scholastic Team claimed third place in the ten-team Illinois High School Scholastic Bowl Coaches Association Kickoff Tournament in Carbondale on Saturday.  Fairfield placed the highest of the Class A teams in the tournament.

Headlines for Saturday, November 14, 2009

A tragic accident claimed the life of a rual Wayne City toddler Friday morning.  At about 5:20 a.m. a babysitter discovered the body of 18-month-old Hunter Woolever entrapped in a recliner at his home.  The victim's parents, Amber and Curtis Woolever were leaving for work and thought the child was asleep in the recliner.  The babysitter made the discovery and called for help.  No foul play is suspected in the child's death.  State Police, Coroner Jimmy Taylor and Sheriff Jim Hinkle investigated the tragic death.

The Fairfield Community High School Student Council was represented by 17 students Thursday at the annual Eastern Illinois District convention, held on the campus of Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, IL.  There were over 200 students in attendance from southern and central Illinois.  During balloting for new officers, sophomore Collin Dunn was elected as the 2009-2010 vice-president of the Eastern Illinois District of Student Councils.  He will officially take office at the December executive board meeting.  Pictured above are the student council members.

21-year-old Dane H. Hawes of Claremont was injured Friday afternoon in an accident on U.S. Route 50 in Richland County.  State police said Hawes was westbound when a vehicle in front of him swerved to avoid a line of cars stopped in the roadway and skidded into the path of a car driven by 24-year-old Ashley R. Davis of West Frankfort.  Hawes was taken to Richland Memorial Hospital in Olney for treatment of his injuries and cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

The Fairfield Community High School board meets this Wednesday night for their monthly meeting.  Motions are expected to be made to repay interfund loan transfers from the Education and Operation and Maintenance funds, and a motion to hire a Student Council sponsor for the 2010-2011 school year.

The Illinois Emergency Management Agency is urging motorists to prepare for the upcoming winter weather season during Winter Storm Preparedness Week, November 15th through 21st.  According to the National Weather Service, Illinois experiences five severe winter storms each year and said there were 16 severe winter storms, five of which impacted a third or more of the state, during the winter of 2007-2008.

Headlines for Friday, November 13, 2009

Fairfield Attorney David Williams will become Wayne County's new State's Attorney on Monday.  He replaces Kevin Kakac who is leaving to accept a job as corporate counsel for Peoples National Bank at their headquarters in Mount Vernon.   Williams says he plans to keep the current clerical staff and will not hire an Assistant State's Attorney at this time.

The Wayne County Board has voted to distribute $25,715 in Public Safety Tax money to the five fire protection districts within the county.  Board member Larry Bunting objected. He believed the money should have been divided up among all fire protection districts, including out of county fire districts that serve the edges of the county.

Intergovernmental agreements were signed Thursday night between the Wayne County Board and the county's three ambulance services - North Wayne, Wayne County and Wayne City.  The agreement clears the way for future distribution of Public Safety Tax funds to ambulance services.

  A check totalling $21,050 was presented to the Fairfield Park District on Thursday by members of the Make a Difference Day program to purchase playground equipment for Leo French Park.  The money was raised in memory of longtime FCHS Math Instructor Dana Hungerford.  The Fairfield Parks Department donated another $10,000 towards the project.

Thursday's guest at the Fairfield Rotary Club was Tonya Conrad, head coach of the Lady Mules basketball team.  She gave an outlook for this year's Lady Mules season. Pictured above left to right are Seniors Ashley Lang, Shawna Walker, Julie McKibben and Head Coach Tonya Conrad.

A Fairfield City Police cruiser crashed into a deer Thursday night. An officer was responding to a report of reckless drivers when he clobbered the deer in the 900 block of N. First Street.  The 2008 Ford Crown Vic sustained heavy front end damage. The deer died from the impact.

Headlines for Thursday, November 12, 2009

Veteran WFIW Sportscaster Stan David died Wednesday evening at his home in Fairfield. He was 59. Stan became ill with flu-like symptoms on Tuesday, leaving work around mid-morning.  Early Wednesday morning, Stan called the station to tell his fellow workers he was still ill and would not be able to make it in to work.  Late Wednesday afternoon, Stan's son, Marty David went to check on him at his west side Fairfield apartment and found him dead.  Stan joined WFIW as a sportscaster in July of 1971, coming to Fairfield from Springfield, IL. He was the familiar play-by-play voice for Fairfield Mules football and basketball games, and hosted WFIW's morning talk show on WFIW AM 1390.  A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Stan was a member of the Illinois Broadcaster's Sports Hall of Fame.  Funeral services for Stan David are pending at the Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield.

Parts of a police interview with suspected serial killer Bruce D. Mendenhall of Albion have been released ahead of his trial next week on charges he tried to hire someone to kill two detectives and several witnesses in his upcoming murder trial.  In the tapes, Mendenhall blames a former Albion man who is a registered sex offender and a former girlfriend's son for the killings. He said the two followed him around the country leaving a trail of dead women.

There will be no school today or Friday for Pre-Kindergarten through Fifth Grade Students in the Clay City School District No. 10.  The number of kids absent with flu-like symptoms forced the school to close. School is expected to be resume on Monday.

SGT Curtis W. McFarland, son of Debbie Cochran and grandson of Ruth and Skip Hamilton of rural Albion will be on stage with President Barack Obama today when he gives a speech to troops in Alaska.  SGT McFarland returned to his home base in Alaska last month after a 15 month deployment to Iraq.

The second and final installment of Wayne County real estate taxes will be due on Friday, November 20.  Treasurer Donna Vaughan says the annual tax sale has been set for Monday, January 25. The last day to pay your taxes to keep your name out of the newspaper as a delinquent taxpayer is December 18.